


Born Wanderer

by silksieve



Category: Greek Mythology
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-22
Updated: 2013-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-05 11:22:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1093310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silksieve/pseuds/silksieve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Artemis and Athena search for Persephone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Born Wanderer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [likethemaryellencarter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/likethemaryellencarter/gifts).



> Many thanks to my wonderful betas kristin, TLvop, and Brigdh!
> 
> Happy Yuletide!

“Persephone’s missing,” Artemis said, bursting into the Olympus menagerie.

Athena looked up from smoothing the pinfeathers of her littlest owl. “Are you sure?” she asked.

“It’s not like Persephone isn’t known for wandering off. You remember the time she got lost in Babylon and came back absolutely covered in dirt, with petals in her hair and twigs sticking out everywhere. I’d never seen her so happy. She’s probably coaxing a fruit tree to bloom somewhere somewhere as we speak. She’ll be back.” Athena stroked a finger down the owlet’s chest; he chirruped with pleasure and nibbled her finger.

Artemis shook her head. “No, something doesn’t feel right. She would never be gone for more than two weeks, even during bloom--not without stopping by at least once.” She looked at Athena sharply. “I’m going to look for her. Are you going to help me?”

Athena sighed. “Well, of course I’ll help, even if this does all sound a bit far-fetched and not at all thought through.” She cuddled the owlet and placed him back to roost with his fellows. “We’ll need to come up with a logical plan of attack, of course. Find out where she was last, which direction she was going, who she spoke to, what she may have been doing.”

Artemis rolled her eyes. “Please. I’m the goddess of the hunt. I can tell which direction she may be going.”

“Well then, why do you need me along, o mighty huntress?”

Artemis scowled. “To tell me things like ‘ask who she spoke to last.’”

***

“Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen her since she asked me to carry that message to the dryads on Sparta. Pretty little things, too, if a tad too bold for my tastes. Can’t say I didn’t enjoy myself, though,” Hermes said.

“You have something against bold nymphs?” Artemis put her hand on her bow.

“Ahem, if I might put this back on track,” Athena said. “We’re also looking for Demeter.” She caught Artemis’s surprised look. “I’m sure Demeter knows exactly where Persephone is; those two are peas in a pod, pun intended. A girl like Persephone would never stray too far from her mother. Finding one will mean finding the other.”

“Says the one without a mother,” said Artemis.

“Can’t have it all, I suppose. Well, Hermes, any ideas?”

“Hmmm, you might try Hera. Last I saw, they having a friendly little chat over ambrosia and honey.”

***

Hera smiled coldly. “If it isn’t Zeus’s favorite daughters. How lovely of you girls to pay me a visit.”

Athena and Artemis looked at each other.

“Shall we have some wine?” Hera asked. “We’ll catch up, and you can tell me everything happening in those little spheres of yours.”

“Please, Majesty,” Athena said, mustering her courage. “We were told Demeter had visited you recently. We’re looking for her.”

“It’s Persephone,” Artemis cut in. “She’s missing.”

“We don’t speak nearly enough at all,” Hera continued. “How often everyone forgets the common courtesies that make life pleasant. A shame my sister Demeter thinks she can just drop in and that I would be sentimental about some bastard child she bore while cheating with my husband.”

“Thank you, Majesty,” Artemis said, standing up and pushing Athena out the door. I’m sure we’ll think long and carefully about what you’ve said. Especially Athena.”

“Friendly, my ass,” Athena said, once they were back on safer ground.

***

“Why you girls are asking the sea-god for his advice on a land matter makes no sense at all to me.”

Artemis glanced at Athena. “Not to be blunt, Uncle,” she said, “but it’s imperative that we find Demeter. Persephone is missing. I thought it might be a small matter or some late work, but now I’m convinced that something is terribly wrong. I can feel it with all of my being. And, erm, given your relationship with our aunt, we thought you might be able to tell us something. Anything. The smallest trail would be enough for me, but I need somewhere to start.”

Poseidon considered, his sea-foam robes swirling around him. His tidal horses reared their heads impatiently, eager to be on the move again.

“You might try Mount Parnassus,” he said finally. “I think she might be there.” He looked sharply at them. “Don’t interfere with what you don’t know, Artemis. You judge too quickly and too harshly. There are always depths to be plumbed.”

“Why, what do you know?” Artemis cried, but Poseidon was gone already.

“He’s just a cranky old man, isn’t he?” Athena said.

***

“Do you see that?” Artemis said, pointing.

“...what is it that I’m looking at, exactly?”

“The grass. Don’t you see how it’s been touched? Somebody’s walked this way.”

“It just looks like grass to me,” Athena said.

“It’s bent! All these stems are! And judging by the smell, it was done recently. Oh, and look this way. That’s a footprint, or I’ll eat my sandal.”

“I’m still not sure I see it, but I’ll take your word for it.”

“Help me look around for others. If we can find more, that’s the trail. We’ll find someone for sure.” Artemis knelt, looking intently at various grasses and occasionally taking a sniff. She rubbed dirt between her fingers and sniffed that, too.

Athena toed a fallen branch and tried to decide if the whorl in the bark signified anything.

Artemis looked up. “Can’t you see anything? Even Persephone was able to help when we were tracking that stag.”

“Excuse me, just because I spend most of my days thinking indoors instead of running about everywhere all the time like you two, and getting into all kinds of mud and mess while learning what every animal and grass stem thinks does not make me ineffectual. I’m sure Persephone was able to see every little difference to her flowers, but I just can’t. You should know better.”

“No, you’re right. I’m sorry. I couldn’t have gotten here without you, after all. I’m grateful.”

“She’s my sister, too,” Athena said.

Artemis sighed. “I know. I just can’t help feeling particularly responsible. Goddess or no, she’s a maiden, and under my protection.” Her brow darkened. “And giving Poseidon’s hints, I’m not under any illusions.”

“We’ll find her,” Athena said quietly.

“Yes,” Artemis said. A breeze wafted over the mountaintop, and Zeyphr gave them a friendly wave as he zipped past, taking with him various bits of green debris. Something caught Artemis’s eye.

“That’s different,” she said.

“What is?”

“That leaf. It’s red.”

“That’s an odd color for a leaf,” said Athena.

“And look at that one, all dried up. It’s the strangest thing I’ve ever seen,” said Artemis.

One of the dried, brown things rasped against Athena’s foot. She toed it gently, and it crumbled under the touch. A horror suffused her being. “These plants…they’re dying.”

“Oh, no,” said Artemis, her face losing all color. “You don’t think Persephone…Quickly! We need to trace those leaves!”

They set off, Artemis leaping swiftly, pausing only to check that they were on the right trail. Neither of them said aloud what was in their hearts—the dread that strikes every immortal. When they crested the peak, Athena had to grab Artemis to stop her from falling into the chasm that gaped at their feet.

The dark maw lay open. Sharp spears of rock thrust through the crumbling earth as the sighs of the lost echoed around them. All around the edges, death spread, withering blooms, shriveling leaves, killing light, forcing the earth to curl back upon itself.

"Yes," a voice said behind them. Artemis and Athena whirled to face the new threat, an arrow already nocked in Artemis’s bow.

Demeter stood before them, body rigid, face cold, dress whipping in the wind, and bare feet rooted into the ground. She looked at the young goddesses. "Yes," she repeated. "Now you understand what has transpired here."

***

“I looked everywhere. I knew she was gone the instant I no longer felt her footsteps upon the earth, but I had no idea what could have happened,” Demeter said, as the three goddesses sped towards Olympus. “I’ve been seeking her since but, sadly, I do not travel as fast as either of you; my spirit is rather more patient than fleet-footed. I arrived at the mountain moments before you.” Her voice, cold before, turned to pure frost. “Hades will answer.”

At Olympus, she marched into Zeus’s throne room to confront the king of the gods where he lounged, one leg thrown carelessly over the throne’s armrest, goblet in hand. His eyes lit up jovially as he spied the three. “Demeter! Baby!” he called, pushing himself into a more upright position. “And there are my baby girls!” He grabbed each goddess for a smacking kiss on the lips as they approached. Demeter yielded not an inch, remaining stony and formal.

“Zeus, your brother has taken my daughter—our daughter. The land of the dead is anathema to a creature of light and youth. I demand that he return her at once. I demand that you ensure it. As king and as father, you must have her returned.”

“Well, now, Dee, he’s your brother, too. I’m sure if you asked nicely—”

“Do not trifle with a mother’s heart, Zeus, unless you would dare the consequences, for I can assure you, nothing means so much as she. I would rather leave the world a hollow shell than allow Persephone to remain a moment longer in that valley of silence and nothingness.”

Zeus frowned. “Dee, you know our agreement. Hades has his realm as I have mine. We don’t interfere with each other, and the living and the dead keep their peace.”

“Then he can have no claim to Persephone! For she is of your realm as much as any other living being, is she not?”

Zeus’s frown deepened.

Artemis hesitated, and pulled out the dead leaf she had scooped up on the mountain. “Father, look at this. The earth is dying without Persephone. The people, the living creatures, even we gods,cannot do without her. There will be famine, disease, and so much death it will blur the line between the realms.”

Athena spoke up. “She does not deserve to be condemned to the Underworld against her will. And…she’s our sister, Father. We would miss her too much.”

Artemis said, “Please, Father. Bring her home.”

Zeus looked at them for a few long seconds, then turned his head and said to Ganymede, “Send for Hermes.”

***

They had been closeted for ages. Hermes had brought Persephone back, but whisked her immediately into private consultation with Zeus and Demeter. Hades had promptly appeared as well, without even a puff of cloud-smoke, and shut the door firmly behind him.

Artemis paced in the great hall, while Athena sat meditatively, fingers tangled in the feathers of a great tawny owl. Suddenly the doors burst open, and Persephone ran out, face beaming. She grabbed Artemis and Athena in great hugs and kissed them both.

“Oh, darlings, how happy I am to see you!” she exclaimed. “I’m so sorry to have worried everyone, and I’m so grateful for the time you took to look for me, even though I wasn’t at all lost, you know, not even a little bit.”

“Not…lost?” Artemis said dazedly.

“Well, of course not, darling!” Persephone said. “I know it’s a little hard to believe, given my, you know, track record, but I quite knew where I was going and what I was doing! Dear Hades just needed a little help, that’s all, and I decided I would give him that help.”

“Persephone,” Athena said slowly. “Do you mean to say that he didn’t, er, kidnap you and force you into the Underworld?”

“Why, not at all! I got tired of seeing him try to make that mountain into something nice and failing utterly. Did you see that big hole he made? Terribly ugly, and it just keeps getting worse. Oh dear, Grandmother Rhea is going to have a fit, isn’t she?”

“Why was he here, then? And why is he trying to play decorator?”

“That’s what I’ve been helping him with. Those poor souls in the Underworld, they don’t have any beauty at all, not even in the Elysium Fields. There’s nothing for them but dark, damp, and stone everywhere. It’s not that Hades wants to build a bridge between the dead and the living, but he wants those spirits who want to remember the lives they led to have a way. Those who want to forget have the Lethe, but there is no touchstone for remembrance and clarity. Beauty, light, and the tiniest breath of life, that’s the way.”

She blushed. “And of course, that’s why I want to help him. I want to help things grow in the Underworld, to bring a bit of life into the land of the dead. And Hades has been so helpful, too! It hasn’t been the easiest challenge I’ve taken on; I had the hardest time growing the smallest pomegranate tree. But he’s been a dear about everything, and has opened complete access for me. That’s why he was here, too, you know. To be helpful, and to, well, smooth things over with Mother and Father.”

Her brow clouded. “A bridge between the land of the dead and the living works both ways. Death will seep through here while I’m there, and it turns out that I do need to personally encourage everything to work properly. But we’ve worked it all out with Mother, even if she was terribly angry with me. If I don’t stay away too long from either realm, we should be able to muddle through all right.

“Thank you again,” she said softly. “It does mean so much to me that you searched for me.”

“You are our sister,” Athena said bluntly. She kissed Persephone on the cheek, and replaced her owl on her shoulder. “Take care of yourself, yes? I need to take this fellow back home, but don’t forget to say goodbye before you leave again.” She walked to the door, but turned around a final time. “I’m glad you’re all right, Persephone,” she said.

Artemis drew Persephone into a fierce hug. “I’m glad you’re all right. But I’m going to miss you terribly while you’re gone. We’ve never been separated for so long; who’s going to run all over Akaia with me? Who’s going to play with the bunnies and lecture me about not stepping on saplings?”

“Yes,” said Persephone. “I told Hades over dinner last night that that’s what I was going to miss the most, too. But we’ll still get to do that! Just not, you know, the whole year—”

“Wait, wait, just a moment,” Artemis said. “Dinner? Persephone, you didn’t eat anything while with Hades, did you?”

Persephone blinked. “Well, of course, I did, darling. I was hungry.”

Artemis threw her arms into the air. “What about everything they say about food in the Underworld?”

“Oh, that!” Persephone laughed. “That’s just a story they tell to deter the tourists.” She lowered her voice. “Hades can be such a grump sometimes, you know.”

“Great,” Artemis said. “I’m glad he’s so much fun. Are you sweet on him?”

“Don’t be so sad!” Persephone said. “Like I said, it’s only for a part of the year. I’ll be back before you know it, and we’ll go to all our favorite places. Don’t look so pale, darling, although I’m sure you can’t help it. I’m sorry to make you so sad, and to make your travels longer and harder while I’m away. I’ll send you all the good gossip from the Underworld, too.”

“What would that be?” Artemis said. “How Charon keeps losing coins because he doesn’t wear pants? We’re immortal. I am going to feel your loss forever.” She sighed and hugged Persephone closer. “I’ll adapt. All of us will. But you never answered my question: are you sweet on Hades?”

“I’m not answering that.” Persephone smiled. “This time, anyway. You’ll have to make that part up yourself.”

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Louise Gluck's "Persephone the Wanderer"


End file.
